


Ghost Story

by Moondragon8



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Ghost Lapis, Happy Halloween!, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Slow Burn, warning: blue diamond is a sucky mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2020-12-14 18:44:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 3,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21020492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moondragon8/pseuds/Moondragon8
Summary: I run my fingers through her hairShe turns around and there's nothing thereWrap my arms around her sleeping nearCan’t you see we got a good thing hereSome good old fashioned ghost lesbians, inspired by a list of prompts (October Spooky Writing Challenge). Happy Halloween!(lyrics from Ghost Story by Charming Disaster!)





	1. Lapis-Rumors

**Author's Note:**

> we need more lapithyst in this world

There are many rumors about you. None of them are true.

They say you can control things with your mind. Not true, not strictly. They say your home is alive. Very not true-it is only as alive as you are, and you are not alive at all. They say you are lonely, and trapped, and that if someone gets too close that they will be trapped too.

Maybe you are lonely. And trapped. But you wouldn’t wish this fate on anyone else.


	2. Amethyst-The House

There’s a haunted house on your block.

You’ve known it was haunted since you were very young-although your parents insist it is “just very old,” and “not safe because it is old, so don’t go in there,” you know it is, obviously, haunted. 

First of all, everyone says so. Second of all, it’s  _ creepy.  _ Third of all….

Whenever you walk past it, you feel funny. Maybe that’s just you. But you get this feeling in your stomach like there’s something there. Or someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> your girl forgot it wasn't the first of october and had to catch up really fast xD


	3. Lapis-Just a Peek

You slide the curtains apart just a little and look through. 

You don’t know what you look like anymore. It has been a long time since you have been properly alive. You don’t want to scare anyone. 

You just want to look. 

You won’t be as lonely if you look, you think. Seeing the kids run past, seeing the mothers talk-it will be as if you are a normal girl again, sitting at a window. 

But it doesn’t help. It only makes you more lonely, and it makes them stop coming. 

You stop looking. 


	4. Amethyst-Dare You

This Halloween, you are Nepeta Homestuck. 

“It’s Nepeta  _ Lejion,”  _ Peridot says like the nerd she is. 

“Shut up, filthy Homestuck,” you fire back. “Let’s get some candy.”

The two of you-plus Garnet and Pearl, obvus-have fun for a good portion of the night. You get that sweet candy, you tell several innocents about Homestuck-good times. 

Then Peridot says something.

“Hey Amethyst.” 

“Yeah?”

“I dare you.”

“Dare me to what exactly?”   
She narrows her eyes and grins mischievously. “Go into the haunted house.” 

You would have spit out a drink if you had one with you. “What??”

She smiles again. “You heard me!”   
You glance up at the house, and suddenly it looks like a simple childhood haunt, nothing to really be afraid of. 

“Yeah, sure. Dare accepted,” you say, and head towards the house. 


	5. Lapis-Portrait

There is a picture of you in your house. You like to pretend it is a mirror. 

You stare into it and see your own sheepish smile, bright blue eyes, and messy hair, intact and normal. Just like always. A mirror. 

But you don’t blink in the painting. When you raise your hand, the girl in the picture does not. 

It is not a mirror. 

Real mirrors don’t work for you anymore. 

But you like to pretend-even though you know it can’t be true anymore-that you are still the girl in the portrait. 


	6. Amethyst-Red

The house is red.

That’s the first thing you notice. 

It’s weird-you expected it to be faded and peeling, and it is kind of, but you can still see that the paint is red. 

It comforts you somehow. 

Of course, it doesn’t do much as you get further in. 


	7. Lapis-Eyes to the Grave

Even when alive, you were always a morbid person.

This always irritated your mother. “Lapis, straighten up,” she would dictate. “Stop slumping. Honestly, you’ve got your eyes to the grave and you’re not even ”

You would huddle back further in the chair. 

You learned that your indomitable mother was frightened of death. She held her breath when you passed graveyards. You, always eager to go against her will, joyously plunged into them, made grave rubbings and brought them home. It made her angry. She lashed out. You rebelled, and went further into your morbid obsession. This only made her angrier. It was a vicious cycle. 

When you died, she didn’t even write anything interesting on your gravestone. Merely “Lapis Lazuli. 1925-1941. Daughter of Azura Diamond.”   
Not even “beloved daughter”. Not even your cause of death. Even in death, you can’t escape it-you’re still reduced to merely her daughter. 

At least now you can look at the ground all you wish. 


	8. Amethyst-Lady of the House

You realize as you wander through the house that you never knew who actually lived here. 

There’s a painting on the wall, and against all laws of horror movies, you stop to look at it.    
It’s...a girl. Maybe your age. She’s kind of cute. Looks sad, though. But mostly cute. You mumble a hi for no good reason and keep walking. 

There’s another painting. It’s of an older woman. You don’t like this one as much. The woman looks mean. 

You wonder if it was the two of them living here alone. 

You wonder whether either of them left. 


	9. Lapis-Scary Stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> glad to see you’re all enjoying this spoooky/sad lesbian funtime

You were never allowed to read scary stories as you grew up.

Of course, that didn’t mean you didn’t read them. It merely meant it was a bit tricky to do so. 

They never managed to actually scare you that much. You found them too ridiculous to be real. 

Of course, once you  _ became  _ a scary story, they were a good source of reference material. 

When someone is in a ghost’s house, the proper thing to do is lock the doors.


	10. Amethyst-Locks

You notice a weird clicking sound and turn around. Nothing but a door.

You try the handle and it doesn’t open. Ah well. 

You find a different door and try that. Doesn’t work either.

Damn. Well, this house sucks. You’re out.

You turn around and head towards the front door. 


	11. Lapis-Kitchen Dangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don’t try this at home

If you had still had a heart, it would have been pumping. 

As it is, you feel dizzy. You shiver, and the house creaks with you. She can’t leave yet. She can’t! Not before you’ve had a chance, at least  _ talk  _ to her, you need to talk to someone-

She’s in the kitchen. You clench your fists, tap your fingers. The forks rattle in their drawers and she halts. 

“Please,” you whisper, and the house whistles and bends. 

She’s heading for the door now. Desperately you wave your hand. A chair falls over. 

She’s going faster. 

“NO!” you scream.


	12. Amethyst-Lights Out

Shit. Everything’s black. 

This doesn’t even make sense. What happened to the moon? No, damnit, you’re panicking. That’s all. 

You fumble in the darkness. Would this house even have a lightswitch? Is it too old for that?  
“Hey,” a quiet voice says, and you flail desperately. Nope, nope, nope. You are _so _done with this. You are out.

“Please stop-” the voice says again-and then the lights are on.


	13. Lapis-?!?!

You had entirely forgotten what being physical was like. 

It takes you a few minutes to realize what this is-the brush of something hard and sharp against your feet, the feeling of being  _ cold.  _

It feels so strange that for a second you cannot even stand, you merely sway and fall. The sharp tug of gravity, the feel of palms against wood-it is all sharper and brighter then when you were alive. 

The girl doesn’t even hesitate to help you stand. Somehow, she manages to take your hands, and pull you up.

Then she gasps. 

“What is wrong?” you whisper.


	14. Amethyst-Denial

“This isn’t happening,” you say. “It can’t be. It isn’t!”

“What are you talking about?” the girl inquires. 

“You-” you say, pointing at her. “You are  _ not  _ a ghost. Ghosts aren’t real!”

“Oh I am very much a ghost,” she says. 

“No!” you repeat. Your voice seems loud and strange here. “You are not!”

“Yes I am,” she says, sounding mildly disappointed. “Why do you not believe me?"

“You  _ can’t  _ be!” you say again. “You just can’t!”

“Is my form scaring you?” she says, definitely with a tint of sadness. “I am sorry if yes. I do not actually know what I look like.”

You laugh awkwardly. Why are you laughing? Whatever your reaction should be, it probably shouldn’t be laughing.

“I  _ am  _ scaring you,” she says. “Is it truly that bad?”

“You have white eyes,” you say between laughs. “That’s all! That’s all, I promise!”

“Oh!” she says, and then laughs a little too. It’s a cute laugh.

You straighten up. “I’m Amethyst. Please let me out of here.”

“I am Lapis,” she says. “Lapis Lazuli.”


	15. Lapis-Decisions

You fiddle with your hands. Forks clink in the drawer. 

“Soo…” Amethyst drawls. “Can I go now?”

“I am very lonely,” you reply.

“Yeah, okay, that is pretty dang sad,” she says. “But your house here is giving me some serious creeps.”

“I am sorry,” you say quietly. 

“Is this door even locked?” Amethyst asks, but doesn’t move to try and open it.

“I have been here for a very long time,” you say. “If I let you go I will lose the only company I have had.”

“Listen, I feel you on the social isolation thing-well, not really, but big oof all the same-but I’m not gonna befriend you if you force me to talk to you.”

“I am not going to keep you here,” you explain. “I hate it here. I would not want anyone else to have to be here. I would just like to know something.”

“Sure,” Amethyst says.

“What year is it?” you ask.

“What year? Ha, what are you, a-oh, right, ghost. 2019.”

“A century?” you yelp. Somewhere, a door slams.

“You’re from 1919?” Amethyst says. 

“I died in 1941,” you say. “I cannot...is it..”

You gasp.

“ _ Can cars fly yet,”  _ you ask. This is extremely important. 

Amethyst shakes her head, and then, in apparent reaction to your face, says “I know! I totes would have expected there to be flying cars now. And like, jetpacks.”

“Has anything of note happened?” you say. 

“Uh...Cold War,” Amethyst says. “Um. Airplanes are a thing.”

“I know what airplanes are,” you say, insulted.

“Gay people can marry?” she says. 

You lean forward suddenly. “Come again?”

“Gals can marry gals. Dudes can marry dudes. People who are too cool for the gender binary can kill God.”

You burst out laughing. The house creaks and groans around you. “That is blasphemy!”

“You don’t seem too mad about it,” Amethyst points out with a grin.

“I am not,” you say.

Amethyst stretches. “This has been,  _ uh,  _ way cooler than I expected? But I’d still kind of like to go now.”

“Oh of course,” you say. “I never actually locked the front door.”

“Cool,” Amethyst says. “I’ll, uh, see if I can come back later?”

“Yeah,” you say. “Cool.”


	16. Amethyst-Letters in the Library

To:  [ cherryblossom@gemail.com ](mailto:cherryblossom@gemail.com)

From:  [ purplepuma@gemail.com ](mailto:purplepuma@gemail.com)

Subject: hey so do you believe in ghosts

Yeah

* * *

To:  [ purplepuma@gemail.com ](mailto:purplepuma@gmail.com)

From:  [ cherryblossom@gemail.com ](mailto:cherryblossom@gmail.com)

Subject: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

Amethyst, how are you writing this? You’re supposed to be grounded from your phone. Also, no, why? Is this about that haunted house thing?

* * *

From: purplepuma

To: cherryblossom

Subject: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

im on the library computers dont tell my mom lol

yeah its about the haunted house thing

* * *

From: cherryblossom

To: purplepuma

Subject: Re: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

I knew that dare was a bad idea. Are you hurt? Should I beat up Peridot?

But no, ghosts aren’t real.

* * *

From: purplepuma

To: cherryblossom

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

listen im fine but what if i told you i met a ghost

* * *

From: cherryblossom

To: purplepuma

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

Amethyst, please.

From: purplepuma

To: cherryblossom

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

what if i told you i met a ghost and she was cute and funny and i wanted to get her out of the house so she could see the future and stuff

i mean what the future is like 

and stuff

* * *

From: cherryblossom

To: purplepuma

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

Listen, Peridot is our paranatural expert. Go talk to her.

* * *

From: purplepuma 

To: cherryblossom

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey so do you believe in ghosts

okay nevermind then


	17. Lapis-Gone

You sit a few inches above the floor, hovering slightly. You brush your fingers over the wood. There’s a slight tingle.

You are losing your solidity. 

She is not coming back.

You go to the window again. It is night. There are leaves on the ground.

Amethyst is gone. 

You float through a wall and back again. The trees are almost bare. 

Amethyst is gone. 

You lose your solidity.

Amethyst is gone.

You stop feeling. 

You are gone. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK BITCHES

It’s November 5th when you’re finally officially ungrounded. The first thing you do (after texting the group chat “IM BACK BITCHES”) is walk towards Lapis’s house. 

With every step, you question.

Step. Was that a real thing?

Step. Or a weird dream?

Step. Can you even get her out of the house?

Step. Will she be mad at you?

Step. Will your friends be able to see her?

Step. Are you sure you weren’t hallucinating? 

Step. You’re here. 


	19. Lapis-Ghostly Radio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *frantically tries to get all the chapters done and posted before halloween*

You sing. 

You do not see or hear or feel, but you sing. 

There are no lyrics, only vocals. You can’t think of lyrics, but on the other hand, you don’t need to pause for breath.

In a nearby car, a man’s radio screeches, turns to static, and then hums in a strange way.

“Weeeird!” his kid cries.

“Must be something to do with the wind,” he mutters. He tries flicking it to another station, but it keeps making the noise. 

He turns off the radio.

You sing. 


	20. Amethyst-Skeleton in the Closet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for uh. check the tags

“Lapis?” you call.

The floorboards creak underneath your feet. 

“Laaapis?” 

There’s no response. 

“Huh.”

You go down the hallway where the doors were. All the way at the end, there’s another door. This one’s open. 

You go inside. 

“Is this your room?” you whisper, not really expecting a response. It’s really dusty and the window’s cracked, but you can still tell it’s a bedroom, and it looks like a kid’s bedroom. The bed is small and the desk has some papers scattered on it. 

You hesitantly edge towards the desk. When Lapis doesn’t appear to smite you or whatever, you go a bit farther. 

The papers are covered in dust, and old as hell, but you can make out some of the writing on it anyway. 

_ I want to go. I want to see. I want to feel something that isn’t this dried up house and this stuffy life. I need to get out. _

_ I don’t want to do this. This is the 1900s, Mother. I’m fully aware of that. Why won’t you accept it.  _

_ Maybe this could work. He seems decent. At least he’s not old. Maybe. Maybe if I ask him. Maybe. I hope. I want to hope. _

** _ I was so wrong. _ **

_ I’m going to do it. I’m going to leave. I can’t stay here anymore. I want to see the ocean. I want to taste the salt. Just once. I need it.  _

“Jesus Christ,” Amethyst muttered.

She looked around the bedroom. “What happened here?”

She knew she knew the answer. She just didn’t want to think about it. 


	21. Lapis-Hidden Secrets

Sometimes you feel memories.

You know memories aren’t meant to be felt, but for you the feelings are inextricably linked to the memories. 

A sting of tears in nonexistent eyes, and you’re curled in your bedroom choking back sobs because you want to go out and have fun so badly but your mom refuses to let you. 

A stab of hurt and you’re begging your mother-approved boyfriend to talk to her. “She will listen to you!” you beg, and a piercing stare cuts straight through you. 

A jolt of anger and you’re wrenching a window open, blind with determination to do  _ something  _ for once instead of be trapped.

A swirl of joy as you smell salt and finally run into the ocean, cupping water in your hands and falling into the sea.

A crash of fear as the sea takes you in. 

And then absolutely nothing, for a very long time.

So much nothing, you would like to have the feelings back. Even if they are bad. 


	22. Amethyst-Lair of the Damned

You have never been much for cleaning. 

In fact, you’ve always been pretty terrible at it. This frustrates your mom greatly. 

But there’s something about seeing Lapis’s room so abandoned and sad that you want to fix it. 

Maybe if she thinks it looks nice, she’ll come back. That’s a thing ghosts do, right? Yeah, you’re pretty sure that’s part of the Ghost Deal. 

You shuffle her papers around, stack them up nice and neat, and tuck them away in a drawer. You try and dust the table, but it just makes you cough. You straighten up the bed a little, then realize that isn’t working either. 

You go, but you promise yourself you’ll come back. 

And this time, you keep your promise.

You come back with a duster you snuck out of the house and aggressively dust the desk. You manage to open a window without getting glass on your hands. You...realize you don’t know how to make a bed. 

You enlist Pearl’s help. She looks confused at first, and you still sting from her emails, but as the two of you work and you tell her about the papers you read, you can see her get that “new research project” look. 

The two of you, and soon Peridot as well, tear the covers off Lapis’s bed and carefully put them back. You sharpen decades-old pencils and laugh at yourselves when they break. You scrub the walls until the last paint fades. 

You find some letters carved into the wall while that’s happening. You have to kneel down to read them-they’re jagged, but readable.

** _Lair of the Damned. _ **

You snort a little bit at the drama, but it also makes you frown. Did Lapis think she was damned? To hell? Or just in general?

Whatever. This is starting to look less like a lair now, anyway, and more like a room. 


End file.
